As a proud, mostly blind near-sighted person, I’ve put a lot of thought and money into how to make myself see properly. And, like clockwork, I’m set back $200-400 every three years for a new pair. This splurge is one many glasses wearers are all too familiar with – especially after my heavy Rx, stigmatism, and all the proper protective coatings (not to mention the cost of the appointment with the actual doctor). No matter how “classic” our glasses may seem at the time of purchase, they either go out of style, or everyone ends up with something similar (see: Ray Bans). But, alas, there is a Brokelyn alternative to those Bedford optical boutiques. And it seems like (ca-ching!) buying glasses online.

The range of online offerings varies from $99 pairs from Warby Parker (the Toms shoes of the face) to “free” specs sites that fill your browser with a million cookies. So, here’s your no holds barred Brokelyn guide to every price and (hopefully) every catch in the word of online glasses buying. (more…)

Owner Matthew Winn dishes the lattes and literature. Photos by Paul Ker.

Bushwick finally has a bookstore! Molasses Books, which opened at 770 Hart St. late last month, is built for lingering. Affordable is the key element, with “the average book that doesn’t suck being in the $5-8 range,” owner Matthew Winn tells us. The extra bonus is the barter system: you can trade books for coffee (or more books), and eventually beer and wine.

“If you come with a great stack of new books and want a $30 coffee tab? Cool,” Winn says. He estimates that within two months Molasses will have a tavern license (for beer and wine). The shop is a nice alternative to pricey rare book shops and vintage retailers smattering north Brooklyn and beyond. (more…)

Summer camp fashion icons.

At ease, campers: time for your uniform check. Our big party is tomorrow and it’s imperative you use our checklist to help make the most out of summer camp. Why? Because your outfit might afford you some free drinks and prizes  (good ones too)from the summer camp style council. We want to see your pasty legs. We want to see your badges of honor. We want to see you there, happy, drinking, and winning shit from our raffle. And most of all, we want to see your jorts. (more…)

Could Hickies be the next teenybopper trend? Two Brooklynites hope so.

Like many other broke folks, I’m mentally flirting with ideas for Kickstarter, where everyone’s going to crowdsource seed money for their albums, movies, inventions, non-profit groups and pretty much anything you can think of. There are tons of other Brooklynites using the platform to their advantage as well.

Current Kickstarter projects hatched locally include an amplifier for the iPad and iPad2. Donate and you get two of them, which may explain why they’ve practically tripled their funding goal with 11 days left to go. Then there are the Remee “lucid dreaming” goggles, which lull you into a Go Ask Alice state you can turn off any time. The Remee inventors are up nearly $320,000, practically ten times their fundraising goal of $35,000, with 17 days to go. (more…)

News you can use!

Living in Bushwick means a few things: cursing the garbage and chicken bones lining your street, disbelieving that your neighbor pays that much/little in rent, and having a transit route that extends like tentacles through Williamsburg and into the Village and the L.E.S. The Verde vs Roberta’s debate is never-ending but you still flock to Roberta’s because it’s closer to Wreck Room and the Narrows and everywhere you’d ever want to be on a weeknight. Just face it: whether you’re a transient visitor or you keep signing that lease year after year, you might be in love with Bushwick, which means you probably read BushwickBK. And you goddamn miss it. Before it shuttered in the fall, the site was a rarity in the local blog scene because it hired real reporters to hunt down serious issues and stories that were often ignored by big media outlets. Fear not, neighbors, because the site recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to resurrect itself. And the perks are jaw-droppingly-brokelyn-style-generous. (more…)

Brokelyn on Tumblr: It's a Tumblast!

Hello internet users! Because we know our Brokelyn Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter accounts weren’t enough, Brokelyn is now on Tumblr! Why should you follow us there? We’ve put together a list of five reasons.

1. Musings. Our Tumblr is team Brokelyn’s hyperactive sensory appendage on the cerebral cortex of our main blog. That means quotes, photos, reblogs and more things you won’t find on Brokelyn proper.  (more…)

NY Fashion Week is just around the corner, which means the city’s third annual Fashion’s Night Out will take over an evening of the runway-to-retail-buzz-fest on Thursday (Sept. 8). Brooklyn has stepped it up a notch with lots more stores participating this year, and lots more wine, cupcakes, and discounts a go-go. You could fight the crowds to see big name celebs at Bloomingdales or Saks… or you could kick back in the home-borough and preview new collections from indie designers, enjoy special FNO-only deals. Here’s a selection of Brooklyn events; there are dozens more on the FNO website. All festivities begin at 6pm and end at 10pm unless otherwise noted. (more…)

Don't let your great designs stag-nate!

Do you design the best jewelry ever? Are you fed up with your Etsy or Big Cartel not getting the online attention it deserves? Most importantly, are you making zero dollars?

We may have just the contest for you – one that will score you $500 and a vendor contract at UncommonGoods. UncommonGoods is hunting down the next great jewelry designer, and they’re currently accepting submissions “for unique pieces and fresh designs” until midnight Aug. 31.

All designs will be shared with a community voting app, for prime democracy/getting your friends to vote for you. Then, a panel of expert judges (Brooklyn artist Kiel Mead, style and beauty specialist Jenn Falik, and the UncommonGoods jewelry & accessories buyer Erin Fergusson) will choose the winning design from the top five vote-getting finalists. Good luck and may the most creative and cash-strapped win!

Follow Caroline: @shadood.

Ray Deter, via Flickr's richardgordonjones.

Ray Deter was a beer connoisseur, NYC staple, and Brokelyn supporter who passed away earlier this month in a tragic cycling accident. We’ll never forget the joy in his eyes when we told him about our humble Beer Book endeavors and how our readers needed d.b.a. to be included. Tonight we will honor Ray’s memory in the best way possible: by raising a glass. To commemorate Ray’s life, Good Beer Seal hosts “A Toast to Ray,” tonight from 7-10pm at Ray’s bar, d.b.a. Brooklyn (113 N 7th St., Williamsburg). You can gorge endless Fette Sau and Tchoup Shop, and guzzle local brews from Kelso, Saison Dupont, Sixpoint and Brooklyn Brewery to support of his family, including a college fund for his two sons. Cancel your plans and head to Williamsburg. (more…)

Photo by Flickr's gsanjose

In the sweltering heat, I imagine myself doing one of two things: 1) taking an entire watermelon to the face, or 2) purchasing an ice cream cone. When busy consuming all the ice cream in the borough, it’s important to differentiate. Like all the foodie treasures in the confines of Brooklyn, the amount of high-quality, delicious ice cream can be slightly overwhelming. Brokelyn has sorted and price checked to facilitate deciding where to savor your next scoop, lickety split! (more…)